Life and Stories of Jaina Savior Parcvanatha

Author(s): Maurice Bloomfield
Publisher: Maurice Bloomfield

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Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha,
see what the Kāpālika would do, and that he might then suit his actions to the occasion. The Kāpālika addressed his victim: “Unhappy wretch, think quickly of thy favorite divinity, before I cut off thy head in honor of this Kālikā!' In this plight Matisāgara resorted first to the Jina, and then to Bhima. The Kāpālika told him that in attempting to sacrifice Bhima, who had, as he thought, the proper characteristics, he had lost him; that the latter was at this time with Bhikṣus in the Vindhya mountains; therefore he had brought him, Matisāgara, to be sacrificed in his stead. Bhima then sprang upon him, threw him upon the ground, and put his foot upon him. As he was about to kill him, Kālikā bade him not to slay her child, that was ever collecting skulls for her. That he was just about to furnish the 108th skull, by whose means she would fulfil her purpose. Moreover, pleased with Bhīma's heroism, she bade him ask a gift. Bhima entreated her to desist thenceforth from the slaughter of living beings and other crimes, in order that she might thus obtain perfection (siddhi). Ashamed, because a mere man, even tho of noble mind, was the source of her enlightenment, she consented to his wish, and then vanished from sight (295). Matisāgara related how he happened to have gotten into the power of the Kāpālika. When Bhima had disappeared, the court was in despair. The house-divinity then showed herself, told what had happened to Bhīma, and predicted that Bhima would return in time. Yet Matisāgara, after consulting sundry omens,14 went in search of Bhima, was seized by the Kāpālika, and saved by Bhima. At the end of his report the Kāpālika also underwent change of heart, and resorted to the protecting grace of Bhima (245-314).
* In the present text, as in all fiction texts, omens are both consulted intentionally, or deferred to when they happen incidentally; see 1. 324; 3. 149; 6. 550, 937; 8. 19, 333 ff.